Surius Marino
Prequel to the Birth Sebastian Marino, a man with a grand name but little else concerning recorded history. His name, occasionally appearing upon tax records within Gilneas was more often seen on trade records. What was known of him though, was that he enjoyed the market and traded often. Though aside from that, known family is very scarce and personal life next to none. Julia Pucci was a woman that commanded grand amounts of leadership and was even followed by a greater amount of respect. Unlike Sebastian, Julia’s history is not that of shrouded shadows. Julia was born to the Nobility of Pucci in the King’s year of 579. Unlike traditional women of such culture, Julia’s interest ranged to many topics. She was active in the market and even more so active in her community, leading in where she wasn’t expected to lead. Eventually her interest and that of her parents conflicted and she moved out of the City of Stormwind and established various trading posts in the surrounding towns of the Kingdom of Stormwind. Little is known of how the two met up, but considering the Second War which was currently flourishing with its claws of pestilence and death, speculation assumes that Julia traveled with Anduin Lothar during the tragic Refugee March to Lordaeron and eventually met up with Sebastian in Gilneas or Lordaeron itself. After so though, only one wedding record exists before Julia took the shroud of Sebastian and nearly disappeared from the history books. Before they left though, they left a trace of blood. The Early Life of Surius Marino Surius Marino was born to Sebastian and Julia Marino in the King’s year of 604 in the providence of Westfall, in the Kingdom of Stormwind. For 8 years after the birth of Surius, the Marino family bought a small farm in the sunset orange hills of Westfall and flourished for a short time. Though difficulties came in the form of civil dispute within the providence of Westfall. A group of Stonemasons’ that were employed to rebuild the City of New Stormwind, were turned down from payment by the House of Nobles. The Stonemason’s rioted within Stormwind and this instability spreading to Westfall as a young man by the name of Edwin VanCleef established his headquarters in said providence. Sebastian and Julia Marino, sensing the impending violence sent their only son to Sebastian’s only recorded relative, a sister by the name of Rose Marino that lived within Gilneas. The Darkening Moon of Gilneas Surius’ life within Gilneas was interesting. The walls of Gilneas were being constructed and full isolationism was about to be established. From age of 8 to 15, Surius lived with his Aunt Rose Marino and learned many interesting, helpful, and slightly unorthodox things that would prove useful later on in life. Unlike her brother, Rose was quite renown in Gilneas. Formally a pirate of the Bloodsail, she struck rich when pillaging a Goblin trading outpost in the Great Sea and established residency within the City of Gilneas. Though that did not leave her life “normal”. The city knew quite well of her past deeds and often isolated her from the rest of the social hierarchy. Pickpocketing, how to tell if a man’s lying, conversing and gaining the trust of an opponent. Tactics and skills, some may say dishonorable, but necessary in many environments. Though as Surius grown into a teenager, communication with his parents was non-existent. This left Surius quite discontent and eager to leave Gilneas. Unluckily for him though, his wish would come quite early. In the King’s Year of 619, word begin to spread quickly of a demonic and foreign creature that spread a curse, so ravaging and deadly that panic begin to quickly escalate. Rose, keeping her promise to Sebastian, prepared to have Surius secretly escorted out of Gilneas to the harbors of Stormwind. The ending of one chapter, yet the beginning of another. Enter: The Ol’ Dwarf Life for Surius drastically changed. Already at the age of 15, he was left with no guardian and given only very few contacts to converse with to somehow get temporary residency and some food to live on. Though contacts fell through, and Surius ended up having to steal what he had to live on. Food and the harbor warehouse. The goal of his day, and his only home to come back to. He slept in the dark corners of an eerie and creepy warehouse, hoping each day that a dockmaster wouldn’t come by and expel him, or worse off, a fellow gentleman down on his luck willing “To do what must be done” in order to keep himself alive. Life certainly was risky and deadly. Each day was a “maybe” and a gift. One day though when traversing through the Cathedral for survival interest, an old Dwarf by the name of Marek Julius Rasmussen gained interest in Surius and caught him red-handed attempting to steal. Rasmussen halted him but instead of turning him into the Guards, he conversed with the teenager. He learned of the child’s history and thoughts, the gear and cogs of the machinery. He gained the trust of Surius and promised to assist the young man in any way possible so his life may go off into a straight path. The task was rigorous though, as Rasmussen held strict guidelines and classes in order to teach the young man. Surius was fully aware how to fight against thugs, bandits, and an occasional dockmaster, but Rasmussen taught him how to fight… with a bigger mindset. The use of weapons and the structure of one, how it moves within the air as it is swung, and where it would prove more effective to meet contact. Surius became quite skilled with many weapons, but not only with weapons but also weaponless. Surius became quite adept in unarmed combat and fought vigorously with his fist. Combat was not the only classes taught though. Rasmussen passed down his teachings of the Light, Politics, and Philosophy to Surius. The way the light works, the politics of how and why certain nations act and generally, which direction life should be ignited. Rasmussen was fully aware of Surius’ desperate past and fully acknowledged his hardship, but he wished to open another door and to prove that poverty would stay forever with this man. He housed him, and fed him. But more importantly, helped him learn of his past. A Shadow Unveiled Surius wished to know who his parents were and what they did. Aunt Rose told him little, wishing him to continue learning and not have any distractions. But Rasmussen saw it better that Surius gain some type of peace before he continued with anymore training. Surius was 17, and ventured to Westfall with Rasmussen. The land looked different and the aura eerily violated. The grounds stopped flourishing and the providence itself seemed to be engulfed in civil conflict. Questions were asked, and most of the answers were the same. Memory lose, lack of knowledge, or too much distrust to answer, whatever the excuse was, Surius and Rasmussen were getting no where. The one answer shined above the rest. An unnamed farmer aware the two of the “Marino Family” and the farm they lived upon, stating they had a little girl which lived with them. This sobered Surius to the very bone, as he realized he was a big brother. Surius and Rasmussen continued to question the man attempting to find the whereabouts of Sebastian and Julius, but were unsuccessful. According to most farmers or bandits, the Marino simply disappeared. Though one twitchy-looking farmer revealed a secret. Rumor went around that the little girl was sent to live with a close family friend within the Goblin port town of Booty Bay.